The Man Who Was Almost A Man By Richard Wright - 1896 Words

Arguably one of the most important moments in a man’s life is when he realizes he is no longer a boy. Often times this evolution in social status occurs without deliberate attempt. In the literary work entitled, â€Å"The Man Who Was Almost a Man†, Richard Wright outlines a story about a young boy named Dave, who struggles with his own perception of manhood. Throughout this story Dave wrestles with the societal concept of hegemonic masculinity and tries to force his way into manhood. Hegemonic masculinity, a potentially unfamiliar concept, is an idea that states there exists a social hierarchy in which men possess the dominant position in society, and women as well as submissive men are marginalized (â€Å"Hegemonic Masculinity†). Dave, as depicted†¦show more content†¦After some time passes, Dave decides to dedicate a portion of his time at work to practicing his gun shooting. During his practice time Dave accidentally shoots a mule named Jenny, which l eads to Dave being publicly shamed by Jim Hawkins, the members in the community, and his parents. Due to all of these events, Dave ponders the value of his existence, his manhood, and his masculinity. Subsequently, Dave decides to leave his home by impulsively jumping on a train passing through his town, thus leaving his old life behind and beginning a new one. â€Å"The Man Who Was Almost a Man† concludes with Dave riding off into the distance with the intention of finding a place where in his opinion he can become a man. This short story is both an illustration of a boy attempting to become a man, and a depiction of an individual doing his best to overcome the restrictions within a hegemonic society. According to Anthony Lemelle in â€Å"Black Masculinity and Sexual Politics†, hegemonic masculinity from a relational standpoint is a â€Å"dynamic power that men deploy in structural interactions functioning to legitimize patriarchal relations and guarantees inequalit y of both men and women – it [hegemonic masculinity] must result in the subordination of both the ‘other’ men and women† (Lemelle 13). Within â€Å"The Man Who Was Almost a Man† there is a clearly defined social structure amongst the characters in this story. At the top of the hierarchy lies Joe, Jim Hawkins and Dave’s father; these areShow MoreRelatedEssay The Man Who Was Almost A Man by Richard Wright 591 Words   |  3 PagesThe Man Who Was Almost A Man by Richard Wright In life, there are many decisions that everyone must make. And with decision-making comes consequences, some that we are ready for , and some that we may not be ready for. The author of The Man Who Was Almost a Man, Richard Wright, portrays a young man who wants to be a man, but shows that he is clearly unprepared for manhood and the consequences that come with that responsibility. Through decision making based on self interest, wanting toRead MoreSummary Of Richard Wright s The Of The Man Who Was Almost A Man 1031 Words   |  5 Pages224 10 November 2015 The Struggle to Manhood In the world of â€Å"The Man Who Was Almost a Man†, Dave is the seventeen year old main character and narrator of Richard Wright’s short story. Dave is an African American sharecropper who lives with his family on a white plantation owner’s land. Set in the Jim Crow South, independence is a trait that not many Americans possess. Under Jim Crow laws, the status of an African American man is undermined. 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Malcolm X is from Omaha, Nebraska, he was in prison for burglary, during his time in prison then cameRead More Man Who Was Almost a Man Essay653 Words   |  3 PagesWhat does it mean to be a man? How does one qualify for the title? Is the term man simply referring to male human beings, or does it hold a greater measure of meaning in society. In order to get more insight into this subject matter, I consulted, The Tormont Websters Encyclopedic Dictionary. As I anticipated, the first definition for man stated as following: An adult human being as distinguished from a female. This definition, did not surprise me, but what did ,was what followed it , it stated:Read MoreRichard Wright s Writing Style1731 Words   |  7 PagesIt is probably a mere accident that I never killed, states Richard Wright during an inte rview. (Kinnamon 596) Often times, an alternative people would turn to would be violence in a way to escape the world they lived in, but one man held so much inspiration over a society that was and still is shaded by prejudice. What many fail to realize is one can transform the direction of the way society works simply by using words. Because of Richard Wright’s writing style, he depicts the racism and bigotry